Whitefish High School speech and debate captured first place at the Polson Invitational over the weekend.

The Class A team took the top spot with 102 overall points. Whitefish head coach Sara Mueller said she is excited to see the results of what the team can do.

“Our team really put in the work this week and the results were obvious, with champions in Public Forum Debate, Memorized Public Address, and Original Oratory. We have a couple weeks off now until December to get the rest of the team going following a stellar fall sports season for Whitefish,” Mueller said.

Flathead High School and Glacier High School brought junior varsity competitors to the Polson tournament. Among Class AA schools, Glacier placed first with 107 overall points and Flathead, fifth, with 58 points.

 “We are seeing some real promise in JV debate this season, which is wonderful,” O’Donnell said. “We have a largely new debate coaching staff, and they are working together to build the squad. We're beginning to see the benefits of those efforts and it's exciting.”

Following are local individual results.

Dramatic Interpretation

6. Alex Carmalt, Glacier

8. Hayden Holloway, Glacier

Humorous Interpretation

3. Unity Loveless, Whitefish

5. Eli Sanderson Strutz, Glacier

7. Eden Pickering, Glacier

Duo Interpretation

1. Megan Mikelson and Zach Nases, Glacier

4. Ben Colby and Jasper Koppleberger, Glacier

6. Isabel Presnell and Charlie Miller, Glacier

Memorized Public Address

1. Unity Loveless, Whitefish

2. Ella Walker, Whitefish

4. Ella Labrum, Glacier

Informative Speaking

7. Annabelle Church, Glacier

8. Ben Colby, Glacier

Extemporaneous Speaking 

2. Boden Swanson, Flathead

3. Aiden Lamb, Glacier

4. Avery Sorensen, Whitefish

5. Jasper Wilde, Flathead

8. Cheyann Kesteleyn, Flathead 

Impromptu Speaking

1. Aiden Lamb, Glacier

4. Astir Pulsifer, Whitefish 

5. Iona Saraille, Whitefish

Original Oratory

1. Astir Pulsifer, Whitefish

2. Yris Hadziomerovic, Glacier

4. Isabelle McKoy, Glacier

Public Forum Debate 

1. Jayce McDonald and Brynn McDonald, Whitefish

4. Abigail O'Connell and Brett Chivers, Flathead

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

2. Sarah Loran, Flathead

3. Tristen Jorgenson, Glacier

4. Charlotte Perkins, Whitefish

7. Mac Colley, Glacier

Policy Debate

3. Alex Losee and Vana Fortune, Whitefish

4. Trinity Bowman and Elle Sauer, Flathead

6. Vanessa Thiessen and Elizabeth Easley, Flathead

7. Laney Petersen and Zavier Innerbichler, Glacier

8. Sam Singh Carlson and Betim Aliu, Glacier

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or [email protected].